


A Bit That Counts

by Coffin Liqueur (orphan_account)



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series), Helluva Boss (Web Series)
Genre: Awkwardness, Encouragement, Gen, Prompt Fic, Prompt Fill, Short One Shot, Vignette, implied hurt/comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:34:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27447199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Coffin%20Liqueur
Summary: Charlie has an unexpected but pleasant meeting with a visitor.
Relationships: Charlie Magne & Moxxie
Comments: 5
Kudos: 51





	A Bit That Counts

The little imp slid the check across the table to Charlie. She flutter-blinked her eyes wide, picked it up by both of its ends, and held it up.

It was signed in red by two. The value was modest, by what she’d come to adjust to as hotelier standards, although she supposed she didn’t know what modest was for a so-called lesser demon.

It only stood out to her as a matter of concern.

She roofed her eyebrows, questioningly - lowered the check to peer at the imp over the edge.

He looked aside, lip pursed, tugging his collar side-to-side with his claw.

His voice strained in between stops and starts.

“Now — I know that that much isn’t really... much at all... Your Highness...”

“ — You can call me Charlie,” she offered with a sheepish smile behind the check, wavering and soft and trailing.

“Ma’am...” He thinned his lips for a second, tail making and inverting S-shapes in the air, before he continued. “After all, uhh...” His voice dried out somewhat, pebbly. His eyes half-lowered. “The company my wife and I work for’s not exactly under stable management...

“Still — ” He pressed the word back out again, turned to her, fanning his claws against his chest and leaning in with a look of pleading. Her eyebrows raised; she leaned back, partway out of observant fascination and partway to give him the floor. “...We wanna do _something_ to help your cause, you know?”

He tilted his head deeply. It made him feel smaller, more beseeching, and Charlie felt her heart beginning to melt down her ribs, brow roofing higher.

“Even humans who _do_ deserve punishment are sent here with — ” A wincing grimace, in the form of a shifting shape made of sharp teeth. “— goodbyes, or - or reasons that they _could be convinced_ to make it right...! For _Pete’s sake_ — I’m a _hitman_ , and _I’m_ the one saying this!”

A firmer press-and-lean towards her, claws splaying and pushing at the front of his suit harder in kind. In the angle, he looked...

...positively _pleading._

Charlie’s heart dripped — ...dripped — ...dripped...

And he threw his head back with the _force_ of taking in a long, wheezy sigh.

He doubled forward across her desk as he began to trail it back out. Weakly. Eyes dull, pupils averted.

“I don’t know... Sometimes, it feels like I’m the only person around here who gives a — ... _you_ know. — Besides my wife, who is the best...”

He muttered into thin and rusty edges; back off of them, weary and whispery.

“We just appreciate that _one_ demon in a position of authority actually stands for something that _doesn’t_ eat away at whatever faith and hope in the world I let myself have. Mnnn, our boss would let us have it if we started doing _volunteer work,_ but Mills and I still had to show our support _somehow,_ so...”

He scratched at the back of his head; began flicking glances around the room. Up the wall. Along to one corner. Down to the next.

...And Charlie finally began to lower the check, preparing a broad smile beyond _hostess-ly_ , eyes wistful.

“Mr. ...Moxxie?”

With a jerk of his head, there he was making eye contact with her for the first time this visit, staring at her curiously wide.

She set the check down. Skated it lightly one way with the tip of a straight index finger; caught it and batted it another, then another.

“If... it means so much to your wife and you to contribute, then... I will accept, your... financial donation...”

She felt herself stumbling into continuation in advance. It felt right to let it happen.

“ — But hearing what you’ve _said_ really is support, too...”

He blinked once. Twisted his head to tilt again, mouth subtly opening.

She laughed an endeared laugh. It felt right to let it happen, too.

“With as... rocky as it’s been, hearing that there’s even one or two other demons out there besides me and _my_ partner — o-ones who’ve known nothing but Hell, no less — who believe in the spirit behind this cause is...”

The check skated faster. Flick-flick-flick-flick.

And her voice swelled. “ — It’s just _music to my ears...!_ ”

The dripping had ceased, and in its place was something like the sun.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the r/FanFiction November 2020 prompt challenge. November 4th: "Music to My Ears".
> 
> I want these two to be bros, for they are both too good for this world.


End file.
